Pretty good article on last night's US soccer comeback.

[patdog]

That was a great 45 minutes, but this team is still a work in progress and the coach is in way over his head.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/brilliant-45-minutes-against-honduras-152004627.html

 

[Maroon Eagle]

That is good. I'm considering subscribing to Grant Wahl's articles. Here's a freebie...

The USMNT may have finally found its No. 9 in Ricardo Pepi on a wild night in San Pedro Sula. My magazine-style story from Honduras is free to read. Subscribe (free or paid): https://t.co/7AmKICyP5k— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) September 9, 2021

 

[PBRME]

Cliff notes? It’s making me subscribe to read.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Some quick bullet points:
1. All Hail Pepi!

“When I decided to play for the United States, I said that I was going to give all my heart to the team, and tonight I showed that.” — Ricardo Pepi

2. Honduras supporters are upset. Example:

Hondurans in the stadium have been friendly to American visitors the four times I have been here. So it was a strange feeling to walk through that stadium concerned about your safety, but only because you might get caught in the crossfire of Hondurans vs. Hondurans.

3. On McKennie being sent from the USMNT Camp:

Here’s another thing to think about: As I did my reporting on the situation, a source with knowledge of the details told me that McKennie’s actions were viewed by U.S. Soccer as severe enough that he would have been sent home even if Covid hadn’t existed. That’s why the federation used the wording that McKennie had committed “a violation of team policy” and not “a violation of team Covid protocols,” as McKennie had put it on Instagram.

4. Summary:

The difference between a win and a loss on Wednesday was massive. Five points from the week means the U.S. is in second place in the tournament behind Mexico and on track to qualify for the World Cup. But two points from the first three games, which is how things were looking at halftime? That would have meant ratcheted-up pressure, relentless public negativity, continued focus on the McKennie story, reminders for the next month of the last cycle’s qualifying failure and a dialed-up hot seat for Berhalter.
Not everything is fixed, obviously, and much will need to improve in the three World Cup qualifiers next month. At a time when the sport’s organizers are burdening the players with an unhealthy number of games, it seems unlikely that all the top U.S. players will be fit next month. But they know now that they can score goals and win qualifiers without all their best players.
They know now how to silence a stadium and turn a nation’s fans against their own team.

 

[patdog]

As much as Berhalter got it right in the 2nd half last night, he got it just as wrong in the 1st, and the first two games were uninspiring to say the least. But we're stuck with him for the rest of qualifying and we won't fire him if/when we qualify so for the World Cup too. But he's not the man for the job.

McKennie needs to grow up. You just don't put your teammates in that situation for 2 crucial games. I back Berhalter on this 100%. I wouldn't call him in for the next round of qualifiers either. After that, it's up to him.

As good as Pepi looked in the 2nd half, he's still just 18 years old. He'll have some growing pains. But nobody else has done anything at the #9 position either so may as well just go with him and live with the good and the bad. Hell, at least he does show some good out there.

 

[idog]

Pepi > Sargent, Pefok, Dike. I’d play him up top with pulisic and add another attacking midfielder to the mix.